Refrigerator cabinet



Nov. 7, 19390 Inventor":

h Philip T Sgvvert,

Attorney Patented Nov. 7, 1939 PATENT QFFICE REFRIGERATOR CABINET IPhilip '1. Sywert, Wesleyvillc, Pa., assignor to General ElectricCompany, a corporation of New York Application February 24, 1937, SerialNo. 127,416

' 6 Claims.

My invention relates to refrigerator cabinets.

It is an object of my invention to provide a. refrigerator cabinethaving an improved arrangement for removably supporting a closure memberover an opening in a wall of the cabinet.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement forremovably supporting a closure member over an opening in a wall of acabinet, which provides for horizontal and vertical adjustments of theclosure member with respect to the opening.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent asthe following description proceeds, and the features of novelty whichcharacterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective viewof a refrigerator cabinet embodying my invention, the closure memberbeing removed to show more clearly the construction; Fig. 2 is afragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of the refrigeratorcabinet shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is .a perspective view of the supportingbracket shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of amodified form of the supporting bracket shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, in Fig. 1 I have shown the lower portion of arefrigerator cablnet i of the household type having a substantiallyvertically disposed front wall II and a plurality of spaced-apart sidewalls l2 formed by a sheet metal outer shell, the lower portions of thewalls having inwardly disposed flanges providing a supporting base I3for the cabinet. A heat insulated food storage compartment is arrangedin the upper portion of the cabinet and a rectangular opening is formedin the front wall ill to afford access thereto, the opening being closedby heat-insulated door l4 having a marginal sealing gasket Ma and hingedadjacent the opening. A machinery compartment I5 is arranged in thecabinet below the food storage compartment and a rectangular opening I6is formed in the front wall H to afford access thereto. In order to givethe refrigerator cabinet a smooth finished appearance, a closure memberI1 is removably supported over the opening It by an arrangementincluding a pair of spaced-apart brackets l9 secured to the front wallof the cabinet adjacent the upper edge of therectangular opening l6 anda pair of spacedp t prings 2. carr ed y the 19V? Pu 9 the frame of thecabinet. The closure member I! is of sheet metal construction and isprovided with a marginal flange l8 extending thereabout, at least theupper and lower portions of the flange l8 being provided with inturnededges l8a and l8b, respectively. Preferably, the side portions of themarginal flange i8 are also provided with inturned edges to avoid thepresentation of any sharp edges to the finished surface of the frontwall II of the cabinet.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, each of the brackets I9 include asubstantially Z-shaped body 2| having an angularly disposed slot 2|a inthe lower vertical portion thereof through which a bolt 22 is passed tosecure the bracket in place upon the front wall H of the cabinet and toprovide for vertical adjustment of the bracket with respect to theopening it. A block 23 formed of resilient material such, for example,as rubber is supported on the horizontal portion of the body 2| and isprovided with an integral tab 24 which extends through an opening 25formed in the upper vertical portion of the body 2|. Another integraltab 26 on the block 23 extends over the upper edge of the verticalportion of the body 2|. The integral tabs 24 and 26 securely fasten theblock -23 in place between the body 2| of the bracket and the front wallH of the cabinet. A groove 23a is formed in the upper edge of the block23 and provides a resilient seat for the inturned edge |8a of themarginal flange [8 of the closure member l1.

The springs 20 have hooked ends 21 which engage the inturned edge lb ofthe marginal .flange I8 and resiliently urge the same downwardly,causing the inturned edge |8a of the marginal flange l8 to be firmlyseated in the grooves 23a in the blocks 23 of the brackets la. Theopposite ends 28 of the springs 20 engage the edges of spaced-apartgusset plates 29 forming part of the frame of the cabinet, and theintermediate portions of the springs are bent about and extend throughopenings 28a in the gusset plates.

In placing the closure member H on the front wall ll of the cabinet toclose the opening Hi, the heat insulated door M for the food storagecompartment is first swung to an open position. The inturned edge |8b onthe lower portion of the marginal flange i8 is then engaged with thehooked ends 21 of the springs 20. The closure member i1 is liftedupwardly until the inturned edge Ilia on the upper portion of themarginal flange I8 clears the upper edges of the blocks 23 of thebrackets IS, the springs 20 being placed under stress during thismovement of the closure member. The closure member I? is then movedtoward the front wall ll of the cabinet until the inturned edge lBa isin registry with the grooves 23a in the blocks 23 of the brackets H9.The closure member is then released and the inturned edge l8a on themarginal flange l8 falls into the grooves 23a in the resilient 1 blocks23 and is seated therein under the action of the springs 20 resilientlyurging the inturned edge l8b downwardly. The closure member is thussecurely fastened in place upon the front wall of the cabinet free fromvibratory movement. In removing the closure member H from the front wallll of the cabinet, the heat insulated door I4 is first swung to an openposition. The closure member is then lifted upwardly until the inturnededge 18a on the marginal flange I8 is disengaged from the grooves 23a inthe blocks 23 of the brackets l9. The closure member is then movedoutwardly and downwardly until it is free of the hooked ends 21 of thesprings 20.

It will be observed that when the closure member I1 is in place upon thefront wall II there is a small space between the inturned edges on themarginal flange I 8 and the front wall II, this space beingsubstantially equal to the thickness of the sealing gasket I 4a on theheat insulated door M. This arrangement gives the cabinet a pleasingappearance as the outer wall of the closure member l1 lies in the samevertical plane as the outer wall of the heat insulated door l4, andprevents the closure member from marring the finished surface of theouter wall of the cabinet. Due to slight mechanical inaccuracies in theconstruction of refrigerator cabinets in large quantities and on aproduction basis, it is desirable that an arrangement be provided foradjusting the position of the closure member I! on the front wall of thecabinet in order to insure proper alignment of the closure member I! andthe heat insulated door [4. The horizontal position of the closuremember I! is adjusted with respect to the opening l6 in the front wallII by sliding the closure member on the brackets l9, and the verticalposition of the closure member is adjusted with respect to the openingl6 by adjusting the vertical positions of the brackets IS. Theadjustment of. the brackets l9 may be accomplished by loosening thebolts 22 and sliding the brackets to oneside or the other, which causesadjustment of the vertical positions of the brackets due to theangular'dis sition of the slots He in the bodies 2| of the rackets l9.After the bracketshave been adjusted to the desired posi- 'tions thebolts 22 are again tightened and the closure member I 1 is placed uponthe front wall H of the cabinet in the manner described above.

In Fig. 4 Ihave shown a modified form of the bracket which includes ablock 30 formed of resilient material such, for example, as rubber whichis provided with an angularly disposed slot 3| therein through which thebolt 22 is passed to secure the bracket in place upon the front wall Hof the cabinet and to provide for vertical adjustment of the bracketwith respect to the opening IS. A groove 32 is formed in the upper edgeof the block 30 to provide a resilient seat for the inturned edge l8a onthe marginal flange l8 of the closure member l1. It will be understoodthat this modified form of the bracket provides for horizontal andvertical adjustment of the closure member I! with respect to the openingIS in front wall ll of the cabinet in the @413? manner as that describedin connection with Figs. 2 and 3.

It will be evident from the foregoing that I have provided arefrigerator cabinet having an improved arrangement for removablysupporting a closure member over an opening in a wall of the cabinet,which securely fastens the closure member in place free from vibratorymovement and which provides for horizontal and vertical adjustments ofthe closure member with respect to the opening.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention in connectionwith a refrigerator cabinet of the household type, I do not desire myinvention to be limited to the particular construction shown anddescribed and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modificationswithin the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A cabinet having a wall provided with an opening therein, a closuremember having a marginal flange, a portion of said marginal flangehaving' an inturned edge, means including a bracket carried by said walladjacent said opening for removably supporting said closure member oversaid opening, and means associated with a second portion of saidmarginal flange and said wall and resiliently urging said inturned edgeof said marginal flange into engagement with said bracket for retainingsaid closure member in place, said resilient means being readilydisengageable to provide for the removal of said closure member fromsaid cabinet.

2. A cabinet having a wall provided with an opening therein, a closuremember having a marginal flange, a portion of said marginal flangehaving an inturned edge, means including a bracket carried by said walladjacent said opening having a resilient seat receiving the inturnededge of said marginal flange for removably supporting said closuremember over said opening, and means resiliently urging the inturned edgeof said marginal flange into engagement with said resilient seat forretaining said closure member in place, said last mentioned means beingreadily disengageable from said closure member to provide for removal ofsaid closure member from said cabinet.

3. A cabinet having a wall provided with an opening therein, a closuremember having a marginal flange, a portion of said marginal flangehaving an inturned edge, means including a bracket carried by said walladjacent said opening for removably supporting said closure member oversaid opening, said bracket being slidably carried by said wall toprovide for adjustment. of said closure member with respect to saidopening and having a resilient seat receiving the inturned edge of saidmarginal flange, and means resiliently urging the inturned edge of saidmarginal flange into engagement with said resilient seat for retainingsaid closure member in place.

4. A cabinet having a wall provided with an opening therein, a closuremember having 9. marginal flange, a portion of said marginal flangehaving an inturned edge, means including a bracket carried by said walladjacent said opening for removably supporting said closure member oversaid opening, said bracket including a block of resilient materialhaving a slot therein to provide for adjustment of said closure memberwith respect to said opening and having a groove therein receiving theinturned edge of said marginal flange, and means resiliently urging theinturned edge of said marginal flange into engagement with said groovefor retaining said closure member in place.

5. A cabinet having a wall provided with an opening therein, a closuremember having a marginal flange, a portion of said marginal flangehaving an inturned edge, means including a bracket carried by said walladjacent said opening for removably supporting said closure member oversaid opening, said bracket including a body having a slot therein toprovide for adjustment of said closure member with respect to saidopening, a block of resilient material carried by said body having agroove therein receiving the inturned edge of said marginal flange, andmeans resiliently urging the inturned edge of said marginal flange intoengagement with said groove for retaining said closure member in place.

6. A refrigerator cabinet having a substantially vertical wall providedwith an opening therein, a closure member having a marginal flange, theupper and lower portions of said marginal flange having inturned edges,means including a bracket carried by said wall adjacent the upper edgeof said opening for removably supporting said closure member over saidopening, and means including a spring engaging the inturned edge on thelower portion of said marginal flange for resiliently urging theinturned edge on the upper portion of said marginal flange intoengagement with said bracket to retain said closure member in place,said spring being disengageable with the lower inturned edge of saidmarginal flange to provide for removal of said closure member from saidcabinet.

PHILIP T. SYWERT.

